Description

Despite having produced well-known fiddlers such as Guy Brooks, Art Wooten, and Tim Smith, Alleghany County’s rich old-time fiddling tradition has remained largely out of the spotlight. As with other mountain musical communities, the common threads of tradition have met the innovative touch of the musicians to create a complex and powerful sound. The 5 fiddlers, Lawn Brooks, Mack Brooks, Kilby Reeves, Cleave Andrews, and Howard Joines, offer a slice of Alleghany fiddling that covers a range of styles – from traditional to early bluegrass, from simple and driving to complex and progressive, sometimes within a single fiddler’s repertoire. – Lucas Pasley